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Results tagged ‘ Jeremy Hermida ’

Just three times in nine games as the Rockies’ starting pitcher stayed in a game longer than five innings. Right-hander Jeremy Guthrie has one of the long ones, seven innings while winning the opener at Houston, and one of the short ones, 3 1/3 and six runs against although the Rockeis beat the Giants in comeback fashion.

Now Guthrie must shake off illness to give the Rockies the innings they need against the Padres on Monday night.

“He’s dealing with being a little bit under the weather,” Rockis manager Jim Tracy said. “It’s not even close to the extent with Carlos Gonzalez [who was at Coors Field and possibly able to pinch-hit, after missing two straight games with strep throat]. But he did have a little bit of a sore throat over the last day or so.

“We’re keeping an eye on that but also keeping out fingers crossed that this is one of those days where you go out there and get a Guthrie performance, where he potentially pitches you deep into a game and you can use your bullpen accordingly.”

Tonight, Tracy said the bullpen is not in bad shape. Right-hander Josh Roenicke, who went 2 2/3 inings on Sunday and an inning the previous game, is the only one definitely unavailable. Righty Esmil Rogers, who threw 62 pitches over two performances Thursday and Friday, is in play, as is righty Tyler Chatwood, although Tracy said Chatwod cannot pitch for an “extended period.”

Also, the Rockies have asked right-handed starter Jhoulys Chacin not to throw his scheduled bullpen session until later. He is available out of the bullpen in an emergency.

Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitkzi left Sunday’s 3-2 victory over the Marlins before the top of the ninth inning because he suffered a strain of his left quadriceps in the same area of a complete quadricesp tendon tear that cost him 47 games last season.

Tulowitzki suffered the injury in the sixth while trying to change direction and reach for an errant throw from pitcher Aaron Cook, who had fielded Ross Gload’s groundball. Tulowitzki stayed in the game until the ninth, when he was pulled from the game after a discussion with head trainer Keith Dugger.

Clint Barmes replaced him and helped preserve the lead by fielding a Cody Gross grounder and starting a double play to erase pinch-runner Cameron Maybin, who entered the game after John Baker’s one-out double. Huston Street struck out Jeremy Hermida to end the game.

“I definitely wanted to be out there, but at the same time I was trying to be smart about it,” Tulowitzki said. “I thought that ‘Barmie’ was the best option. Everybody agreed. ‘Doogie’ said, ‘If you go out there, blow out and miss two months of the season, it doesn’t do the team any good.’ “

Manager Clint Hurdle said, “He probably might’ve been able to play through it. But if something crazy happens and he’s got to go make a play, and and that thing really is injured with the way he started to heat up at the plate, it wasn’t in our best interest.”

The Rockies are off Monday, but Tulowitzki will come to Coors Field for treatment, and he’ll possibly test the condition of the leg. From there, the club will determine whether he will miss time or how much he will miss.

“It’s the same thing as last year … I mean, it’s not obviously the same thing,” he said. “My leg is obviously a little weaker than the other one. It’s expected a little bit. But at the same time it’s more sore than normal.”

While the exact nature of the injury was not known Sunday, the Rockies know they must proceed with caution. Tulowitzki homered and went 2-for-3 Sunday, has had multiple hits in his last three games and is batting .326 (14-for-43) over his last 12 games to improve his batting average from .167 to .237.

“I feel real good up there,” he said. “I feel I’ve come a long way. I’ve been telling everybody I get off to a slow start every year and I’ll be OK. No one really wants to listen.

“It seems like I was still in a good place. I wasn’t down on myself. I still have a ways to go. I’m not happy with where I’m at. I want to get better each and every day, and I’m always working on things.”

The Rockies’ lineup is much like the field in an automobile race. It seems one or two need to pull in for a pit stop to correct some problem with his offensive game. Friday night it’s center fielder Dexter Fowler. Also, the repairs for third baseman Garrett Atkins are going to take another day. He sat also on Thursday.

Fowler has not stolen a base since his modern rookie record five-steal game on April 27. He has scored just two runs and struck out 14 times in his last nine games.

Left fielder Seth Smith becomes the first player other than Fowler or Ryan Spilborghs to bat leadoff. Smith is second on the club with 13 walks. Smith and shortstop Troy Tulowitzki will bat ahead of Todd Helton (17 RBIs), Ryan Spilboghs (14 RBIs) and Brad Hawpe (18 RBIs).

“You’ve got the run producers at 3, 4 and 5, so I’m looking at somebody else to lead off who can get on base,” Rockies manager Clint Hurdle said. “If you look at the on-base percentages (.426), his is as good as anybody we’ve got on the club.”

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